National Aluminium Company Limited (Nalco), a leading public-sector aluminium producer in India, is making significant strides towards meeting its aluminium production target for the current fiscal year. By August 16, the company had reached 97 percent of its production capacity, according to S Subrahmanyam Neralla, GGM (Smelter) and Executive Director (S&P).
Nalco’s smelter plant in Angul is operating at near-full capacity, with 940 out of 960 pots active daily. This effort has resulted in a production total of 0.17 million tonnes of aluminium as of mid-August 2024. The company has set a production target of 0.46 million tonnes for this financial year, aiming to match its output from the previous year.
With just a few months left in the fiscal year, Nalco is well on its way to achieving its production goals, further solidifying its position as a key player in the global aluminium market. Subrahmanyam emphasized the importance of maintaining quality and reducing production costs, particularly through efficient power management. “We are managing power usage judiciously, importing 30 to 40 MW of power from the state grid,” he noted.
Nalco recently reported a 76 percent increase in its profit for the first quarter of the fiscal year (April-June FY25), driven by higher aluminium prices and lower costs. Looking ahead, Subrahmanyam expressed optimism about increased aluminium production after the monsoon season in September. He also highlighted the company’s secure coal supply, with 0.35 million tonnes of stock at its captive power plant, sourced from Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) and Nalco’s own coal mines.
For the quarter ending June 30, Nalco’s consolidated profit rose to INR 588.42 crore (approximately $70 million), reflecting strong financial performance. In May 2024, the company reported a 101.5 percent year-on-year increase in net profit for Q4 FY24, reaching INR 996.7 crore, compared to INR 495 crore in the same quarter of the previous financial year.
